Written Answers

Tuesday 2 May 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the additional £20 million for Less Favoured Areas in 2001 was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: 30 March 2000 was the first date on which the additional £20 million for farming in Scotland’s Less-Favoured Areas was announced.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the additional £12 million in the form of agri-monetary compensation to dairy, beef and sheep farmers was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: 30 March 2000 was the first date on which additional agri-monetary compensation to Scottish dairy, beef and sheep farmers worth £12 million was announced.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the £2 million funding for a pig restructuring package was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: 30 March 2000 was the first date on which funding for a pig restructuring scheme, estimated to be worth £2 million to Scotland in the 2000-01 financial year, was announced.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the "£3 million assuming the Commission agrees an increase in the maximum weight per animal under the Over Thirty Months Scheme" was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: 30 March was the first date on which it was announced that Scottish cattle producers would benefit by around £3 million in the 2000-01 financial year from a European Commission decision to increase the maximum weight per animal under the Over Thirty Months Scheme.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the £2 million funding for measures to assist with marketing, business support and other costs faced by Scottish farm businesses was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: The £2 million was first announced on 30 March 2000.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the £100 million annual funding for a range of activities designed to help the restructuring of areas dependent on farming was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: The reference to projected annual spend on rural development measures was included in the section of Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000 which described activities in Scotland which parallel the Action Plan for Farming, or which are already underway.

  This figure has not been announced by way of a formal News Release, although it has featured occasionally in speeches which have been quoted in the media.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the £1 million per year for a Marketing Development Scheme was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: The Marketing Development Scheme was launched in June 1994 with a budget of less than £0.5 million. The funding details contained in the news release were those for 2000-01. This was the first time this funding had been made public.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Scottish Executive News Release SE0926/2000, when the £1.6 million for capital marketing and processing grants was first announced, and on how many occasions this funding was referred to in press releases between this date and 30 March 2000.

Ross Finnie: The £1.6 million for capital grants towards the processing and marketing of agricultural products was first announced on 30 March 2000.

Countryside Premium Scheme

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5046 by Ross Finnie on 31 March 2000, whether it will detail how many applications under the Countryside Premium Scheme from each Rural Affairs Department Area Office were successful in the years 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Ross Finnie: The numbers of successful Countryside Premium Scheme applications for each Rural Affairs Department Area Office in 1997, 1998 and 1999 are shown below:

  

 

1997
  

1998
  

1999
  



Argyll & Western Isles
  

25
  

48
  

29
  



Grampian
  

62
  

111
  

32
  



Highland
  

15
  

15
  

24
  



Northern & Northern Isles
  

74
  

70
  

28
  



Perth & Kinross/Angus
  

82
  

76
  

23
  



South Eastern
  

101
  

96
  

35
  



South Western
  

69
  

62
  

53
  



Southern
  

48
  

23
  

0

E-Commerce

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has power to regulate companies which buy and sell Internet addresses and, if not, whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government requesting that stricter regulation of such companies be introduced in order to ensure that potential Scottish business users of the Internet are not deterred by the price of obtaining their preferred address.

Henry McLeish: Where the courts in this country have jurisdiction, Scottish owners of trade marks and other names can pursue legal remedies against deliberate, bad faith and abusive registrations in the same way as if the dispute were "offline". Registrations in global domains such as ".com" are subject to the Uniform Dispute Resolution Procedure agreed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

E-Commerce

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is taking any steps to promote consumer confidence in e-commerce.

Henry McLeish: The Electronic Communications Bill provides for a voluntary scheme of approval for service providers to enable both parties to a transaction to be confident of the identity of the other and the security of the transaction. Officials are working with the Alliance for Electronic Business on the "T scheme", which would be self-regulating. However, the Bill includes provisions for a government-regulated scheme, if self-regulation fails.

  Many consumer concerns can be met by the development of e-commerce codes which comply with core principles. TrustUK will approve codes of conduct for e-commerce which meet the core principles and offer consumers good protection. Online businesses which subscribe to TrustUK approved codes will display an "e-hallmark" indicating that consumers can shop with confidence. TrustUK is expected to be launched in June.

Elderly People

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the Better Government for Older People programme in Scotland.

Iain Gray: I have been impressed by the range of initiatives and the achievements of older people and their partner organisations involved in the Better Government for Older People programme in Scotland. I look forward to receiving the report of the programme in June.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many firms have been given location assistance totalling more than £1 million from Locate in Scotland and other relevant public bodies since 1 April 1989.

Henry McLeish: Comprehensive information on all the financial packages available to inward investors is not held centrally and to provide a detailed list would involve disproportionate costs. However, the number of companies that received Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) over £1 million total 72.

  Some of the companies have undertaken more than one project, and their total RSA payments over this period have exceeded £1 million. This information covers 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1999. Locate in Scotland’s results for 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 will be published in June 2000.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the total assistance, from all public bodies, given since 1 April 1989 to: (a) Levi Strauss; (b) Hyundai; (c) Lite On; (d) Mitsubishi; (e) Continental; (f) Caterpillar; (g) Kvaerner; (h) Viasystems; (i) National Semiconductor; (j) Wrangler, and (k) Volvo.

Henry McLeish: Comprehensive information on all financial packages available to inward investors is not held centrally and to provide a detailed list would involve disproportionate costs. However, the following information on each of the companies specified shows total assistance given in RSA and Scottish Enterprise/Local Enterprise Company packages since 1 April 1989:

  


Levi Strauss


£2,063,579




Hyundai
  

Nil
  



Lite On
  

£1,767,737
  



Mitsubishi
  

£2,583,136
  



Continental Tyres
  

Nil
  



Caterpillar
  

Nil
  



Kvaerner
  

£4,038,800
  



Viasystems
  

Nil
  



National Semiconductor
  

£2,161,980
  



Wrangler
  

Nil
  



Volvo
  

£88,000
  



  The figures shown, where appropriate, are net amounts following recovery of payments made.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs were created in Scotland at the time of the highest development of the project since 1 April 1989 by: (a) Levi Strauss; (b) Hyundai; (c) Lite On; (d) Mitsubishi; (e) Continental; (f) Caterpillar; (g) Kvaerner; (h) Viasystems; (i) National Semiconductor; (j) Wrangler, and (k) Volvo, and how many jobs existed in each of these companies as at 1 April 2000.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is not necessarily aware of job numbers in a company unless these arise as a result of a project which is being grant assisted. However, according to our best information, the table below shows details of the highest level of numbers of jobs in each company specified since 1 April 1989, and the latest information held on the number of jobs still in existence:

  


Company


Highest No. of 
  Jobs


Current No. of 
  Jobs




Levi Strauss
  

1,546
  

701
  



Hyundai
  

Nil
  

Nil
  



Lite On
  

400
  

Nil
  



Mitsubishi
  

1,700
  

400
  



Continental Tyres
  

1,000
  

Nil
  



Caterpillar
  

Nil
  

Nil
  



Kvaerner
  

1,958
  

800
  



Viasystems
  

1,200
  

Nil
  



National Semiconductor
  

2,300
  

696
  



Wrangler
  

740
  

Nil
  



Volvo
  

c. 450 
  

c. 200

Ethical Standards in Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Bill

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 6,500 copies of Standards in Public Life: Consultation on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill were sent to organisations.

Mr Frank McAveety: The consultation document was initially circulated to those identified by the Executive as having interests in ethical standards for public bodies and/or repeal of S2A. Initial consultees included local authorities; devolved public bodies; organisations with interests in education, children’s issues, and legal issues; churches and bodies with interests in equality issues. Further copies were sent to organisations and individuals on request.

Ethical Standards in Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Bill

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the organisations that requested copies of Standards in Public Life: Consultation on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill were sent multiple copies.

Mr Frank McAveety: Organisations were generally sent single copies, although bodies such as local authorities were sent sufficient copies for each of their members. Where an organisation requested additional copies these were provided.

Ethical Standards in Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Bill

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any copies of Standards in Public Life: Consultation on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill were sent outwith Scotland.

Mr Frank McAveety: The consultation document was initially circulated to those identified by the Executive as having interests in ethical standards for public bodies and/or repeal of S2 including Whitehall Departments. Copies were also sent to organisations and individuals that requested them both within and outside Scotland. The consultation paper was also published on the Scottish Executive website.

European Funding

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides any transitional support to career development services which used to receive European Social Fund Object 5b funding prior to the end of 1999.

Mr Jack McConnell: No career development services received ESF Objective 5b funding in 1999.

European Funding

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5030 by Mr Jack McConnell on 6 March 2000 and the European Committee’s Report on European Structural Fund Programme Management Executives and their relationship with the Scottish Executive , whether it will make a statement on the review of the Programme Management Executives.

Mr Jack McConnell: When I appeared before the European Committee on 21 March I set out my broad welcome for the recommendations in the review, which aimed to streamline the process of administering Structural Funds Programmes so that they achieve maximum impact and leave a legacy. I have considered carefully the report of the European Committee as well as the responses received from interested parties throughout Scotland, and I have now prepared a formal response to the report which accepts its recommendations. I have sent this response to the Convenor of the European Committee and placed a copy in SPICe for the information of members.

Freight

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Freight Facilities Grant paid to Safeway imposed any restriction on backloading; if so, why and, in this connection, whether any Highland manufacturers have sought either reciprocal facilities or an opportunity to backload.

Sarah Boyack: No conditions are attached to the Freight Facilities Grant awarded to Safeway which restrict the company from backloading. I understand that Safeway is willing to explore options with any company for backloading on the basis that this would not interfere with its current operation. The decision is an operational matter for Safeway.

  The Scottish Executive has not received approaches from any company about this matter.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government and to the European Parliament and the European Union during the last six months in respect of genetically modified organisms.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a range of matters including GM issues.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to respond to the criticisms of the National Health Service Appeals System made in the Annual Report of the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals.

Susan Deacon: I am aware of the concerns expressed by the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals in its annual report for 1998-99 about the National Health Service Discipline Committee system for family health service practitioners. As the report acknowledges, an initial consultation exercise on a new system had already been carried out and the matters the committee raises will be addressed when detailed proposals are drawn up.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to issue guidelines to all health boards to ensure a national system of availability and access to new medical products.

Susan Deacon: A Health Technology Board for Scotland was established on 1 April to act as a single focus for advice to the NHS in Scotland on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new technologies, including drugs.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Greater Glasgow Health Board will spend on recruiting the services of Shandwick International and whether hiring a public relations firm to advise on public consultation represents best value in the National Health Service.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive expects health boards to carry out effective public consultation on proposals for significant service changes and developments. The Executive welcomes the fact that Greater Glasgow Health Board is actively seeking to improve their arrangements for public consultation. It is for the GGHB to decide what advice it needs to commission to assist it in that process.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to specify its total expenditure on housing, including grants to local authorities, Scottish Homes, the rent assessment panel and voluntary housing organisations, for financial years 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Final budget provision for housing for 1999-2000 is £523.9 million and budget provision for 2000-01 is £579.0 million.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cumulative percentage increase in the average house price in Scotland has been since the introduction of the council tax and what the cumulative increase in the retail price index has been over the same period.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The table below shows the cumulative percentage increase in the unweighted average house price in Scotland, the weighted average house price (which takes account of the sizes of the property sold), and the Retail Price Index for the period since the introduction of the council tax in 1993.

  

 

Retail Price Index
  

Unweighted Average 
  House Price
  

Weighted Average 
  House Price
  



Cumulative % Increase (1993-99)
  

18.4%
  

20.1%
  

36.1%

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the proposed transfer of housing stock will have on the powers of local councillors to intervene on housing matters.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Transfers to community ownership will enable councils and councillors to develop a more strategic role in the provision of housing in their area. To support this process, we have proposed that Scottish Homes’ development funding role should transfer to the council following a whole stock transfer. Councils will continue to have statutory responsibility for the homeless in their area.

  Currently, a local councillor may make representations on housing matters to the council on behalf of a constituent who is a council tenant. Transfer need not prevent a councillor from making such representations to the new community landlord on the constituent’s behalf. In the case of the Glasgow transfer, there will be councillors on the management boards of the Glasgow Housing Association and the Area Housing Partnerships.

Housing

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4570 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 3 March 2000, whether it intends to take any action to address the issue of damp and condensation in North Ayrshire’s Council housing stock.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Some 1,300 council houses in North Ayrshire were insulated in 1999-2000 through the Warm Deal grant allocated to the council by the Executive. For this financial year, the council has total resources of some £6 million for capital investment in its own housing stock. It is for the council to decide how best to deploy these resources to meet housing need in North Ayrshire, including tackling dampness and condensation.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the amount spent on private sector housing grants fell from £101,256,000 in 1995-96 to £38,483,000 in 1998-99.

Mr Frank McAveety: Prior to 1 April 1996, the amount which local authorities could spend on improvement and repairs grants was determined by the Secretary of State. CoSLA asked that this arrangement be discontinued. Since that date it has been for authorities to set their own budgets for this purpose.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduced availability of private sector housing grants has had on the quality of stock in that sector.

Mr Frank McAveety: The condition of the private sector stock will be shown by the next Scottish House Condition Survey.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is from the submission of an application to receipt of a private sector housing grant for each local authority in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Frank McAveety: This information is not held centrally.

Justice

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to appoint a national trainer to co-ordinate training for District Court members.

Mr Jim Wallace: The running of the District Courts is a matter for the local authorities. Every local authority has a Justices Committee for the purpose of arranging adequate training. The Central Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace also has an interest in the training of justices. The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to appoint a national trainer.

Justice

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases involving illegal eviction of tenants by private landlords were (a) referred to and (b) pursued by Procurators Fiscal in each year from 1989-90 to 1998-99 inclusive.

Neil Davidson: The requested information is not available.

Local Government Finance

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those councils which have disputed their local government finance settlements for 2000-01 and whether it will detail its response to each.

Mr Jack McConnell: As in previous years, the distribution of the 2000-01 local government finance settlement has been calculated on a basis agreed through collective consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. A number of councils have made representations to me in terms of how the settlement has impacted on them and my response has been to explain the background to our decisions and to take on board their representations for future discussions.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what ongoing assistance is being provided to fund the increased staffing levels for the additional intensive care beds announced by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 22 February 2000.

Susan Deacon: It is for health boards, in conjunction with NHS Trusts, to determine the increased staffing levels necessary in light of local needs and circumstances, and to ensure the appropriate funding is in place.

  The Scottish Executive is providing record levels of financial resources to the NHS in Scotland. The Minister for Finance announced in Parliament on 30 March that, in addition to the increase agreed in the Budget Bill, the Health budget will be increased by £173 million in 2000-01, with major real terms increases each year following through to 2003-04.

  The Chief Medical Officer has set up a short-life working group to look at intensive care and high dependency services. One of the issues the group will consider is staff recruitment, retention and training. Health boards are expected to take the working group’s recommendations into account when deciding how to use their share of the additional £6.8 million, which I announced on 22 February, together with their general revenue allocations.

NHS Funding

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was (a) sought by and (b) awarded to each hospital under the capital modernisation fund, broken down by individual projects and, in particular, whether Raigmore Hospital sought funding of approximately £1.5 million for modernisation of its accident and emergency department but received no funding for this project.

Susan Deacon: Bids for the modernisation of accident and emergency services from the Capital Modernisation Fund were submitted by NHS Trusts or health boards rather than individual hospitals. This was a very specific exercise and there were more bids than could be accommodated within the resources available. The outcome should not be interpreted as a lack of support for the general work of the hospitals which were unsuccessful. The information is set out in the table below.

  


NHS Trust/Health Board
  

Project
  

Amount Sought
  

Amount Awarded
  



Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals 
  NHS Trust
  

Refurbishment of A&E department 
  at the Royal Alexandra Hospital
  

£5 million
  

Nil
  



Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals 
  NHS Trust
  

(i) redesign of reception and early 
  care management of patients in Crosshouse Hospital
(ii) establishment of telemedicine 
  links between the 2 main A&E departments and the Primary 
  Care Trust’s Community Hospitals
  

£1.7 million

£80,000
  

£1.7 million

 
£80,000
  



Dumfries and Galloway Acute and 
  Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust
  

(i) new build adjacent to A&E 
  department at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
(ii) provision of helicopter landing 
  site at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
(iii) telemedicine link with Garrick 
  Hospital, Stranraer
(iv) electronic requesting of x-ray 
  investigations
(v) teleradiology link with Garrick 
  Hospital, Stranraer
  

£800,000

 
£55,000

 
£30,000

£12,000

£65,000
  

£800,000

 
£55,000

 
£30,000

£12,000

£65,000
  



Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
  

Refurbishment of existing facilities 
  at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy
  

£1.33 million
  

£1.33 million
  



Forth Valley Primary Care NHS Trust
  

Provision of Out of Hours emergency 
  dental service at Falkirk and District Hospital
  

£25,780
  

£25,780
  



Greater Glasgow Health Board
  

(i) development of A&E department 
  at Yorkhill Hospital
(ii) to link the Glasgow Emergency 
  Medical Service call centre to A&E departments electronically
  

£600,000

£555,000
  

Nil

£555,000
  



Grampian Primary Care NHS Trust
  

(i) provision of a communication 
  network
(ii) provision of telemedicine 
  equipment for 5 community hospitals
(iii) structural adaptations to 
  remote A&E facilities
  

£223,000

£100,000

 
£10,000
  

£223,000

£100,000

 
£10,000
  



Grampian University Hospitals NHS 
  Trust
  

(i) provision of A&E IT system
(ii) provision of 4 bay adult resuscitation 
  suite
(iii) redesign of existing A&E 
  facilities, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
  

£167,000
£618,000

£110,000
  

Nil
£618,000

£110,000
  



Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
  

(i) refurbishment of existing A&E 
  facilities and investment in technology at Raigmore Hospital, 
  Inverness, including a telemedicine link with the Western Isles 
  Hospital
(ii) redesign and enhance existing 
  A&E facilities and investment in technology at Caithness 
  General Hospital, Wick
(iii) upgrade A&E equipment 
  and investment in technology at Belford Hospital, Fort William
  

£2.4 million

 
 
£263,000

 
 
£62,424
  

Nil

 
 
 
£263,000

 
 
£62,424
  



Highland Primary Care NHS Trust
  

Upgrade Dr MacKinnon Hospital, 
  Isle of Skye
  

£13,600
  

£13,600
  



Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS 
  Trust
  

Redesign the A&E department 
  at Monklands Hospital
  

£2.7 million
  

£2.7 million
  



Orkney Health Board
  

Upgrade current treatment and waiting 
  areas in Balfour Hospital
  

£121,000
  

£121,000
  



West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust
  

Refurbishment of A&E department 
  at St. John’s Hospital, Livingston
  

£1.55 million
  

£1.55 million

NHS Funding

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure on secondary mental health services was in real terms, for each financial year from 1995-96 to 1999-2000 inclusive, what it will be in 2000-01 and what this represents as a percentage of the Hospital and Community Health services budget in each of these years.

Iain Gray: Mental illness is equated with the specialties of General Psychiatry, Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry.

  The information available from health boards regarding expenditure on mental illness treatment is provided on the basis of patient category i.e. in-patient; outpatient; day-patient and community. In answering this question, secondary mental health services has been interpreted to mean hospital-based services, i.e. in-patient, outpatient, and day-patient categories only.

  The following table presents the aggregate expenditure on this group of patients for the periods 1996-97 until 1998-99 expressed in terms of 1998-99 prices.

  


Hospital Based Expenditure on Mental 
  Health Services
  



Year
  

Expenditure in terms 
  of 1998-99 Prices (£ million)
  

% of Total HCH
  



1996-97
  

380
  

12.6%
  



1997-98
  

377
  

12.2%
  



1998-99
  

376
  

12.1%
  



  Source: Scottish Health Service Costs.

  In 1995-96 health boards did not consistently identify the costs of Community Psychiatric Teams. It is therefore not possible to provide meaningful comparative figures for this period.

  Expenditure figures for 1999-2000 are not yet available, and health boards will not be in a position to provide forecasted expenditure for 2000-01 until later this year.

  There has been a steady reduction in the real terms expenditure on hospital-based treatment commensurate with the increase in community based health spend as part of the Executive’s modernisation agenda to provide support for mental health patients in the community. This additional support is provided not only by the NHS in Scotland, but extends to care in the community provided by local authorities.

NHS Funding

Ms Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make extra resources available to the NHS.

Susan Deacon: I am pleased to announce that I am today making available to health boards a total of £60 million, subject to the provision of satisfactory plans showing how the resources are to be used.

  These funds will enable health boards and NHS Trusts to accelerate delivery of national and local priorities, particularly in the three clinical priorities of heart disease, cancer and mental illness, and with a particular focus on children’s services. As part of that work, health boards and NHS Trusts must ensure that:

  services affected by peaks in demand, particularly during the winter, are better managed;

  in co-operation with other agencies such as local authorities, the number of delayed discharges is minimised;

  waiting lists and waiting time targets are consistently met;

  financial targets are met and no overspends are incurred.

  In addition to the existing performance monitoring arrangements, a team drawn from the NHS and the Health Department will be established to keep progress under review and to offer guidance and support when necessary on the steps that need to be taken or put in place.

  The amounts for each health board are as follows:

  


Health Boards
  

£000
  



Argyll and Clyde
  

5,098
  



Ayrshire and Arran
  

4,334
  



Borders
  

1,310
  



Dumfries & Galloway
  

1,830
  



Fife
  

3,812
  



Forth Valley
  

2,976
  



Grampian
  

5,543
  



Greater Glasgow
  

11,179
  



Highland
  

2,496
  



Lanarkshire
  

6,040
  



Lothian
  

8,173
  



Orkney
  

249
  



Shetland
  

293
  



Tayside
  

4,728
  



Western Isles
  

440
  



Scottish Ambulance Service
  

1,000
  



Common Services Agency
  

500
  


 

60,000

National Health Service

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consult on any proposals to amend the National Health Service Appeals System and, if so, when such consultation is expected to take place.

Susan Deacon: Full consultation with a wide range of interests will be undertaken before any changes are made to the National Health Service Discipline Committee system for family health service practitioners. I anticipate consultation will commence in June.

National Health Service

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultation on proposals to amend the National Health Service Appeals System will include the Health and Community Care Committee and the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals.

Susan Deacon: The scope of the consultation on changes to the National Health Service Discipline Committee system for family health service practitioners has still to be determined. In terms of the Tribunal and Enquiries Act 1971, it will of course include the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals.

New Deal

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available on the progress of the New Deal for Lone Parents in (a) Scotland and (b) Inverclyde.

Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of the New Deal for Lone Parents throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive.

  The New Deal for Lone Parents is progressing well in Scotland. By the end of January, 11,180 lone parents had agreed to participate and 3,860 had already found work.

  Figures for Inverclyde are not available. However, the corresponding figures for the district of Renfrew and Inverclyde – 739 participants and 287 into work – show that the programme has a higher proportion into work than the Scottish average.

Nutrition

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4128 by Susan Deacon on 24 February 2000, whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the key performance indicators which demonstrate that "steady progress is being made with the implementation of the Diet Action Plan for Scotland".

Susan Deacon: The Diet Action Plan contains 71 recommendations for action to be taken over a 10-year period to improve Scotland’s diet. The wide range of action taking place at both national and local level demonstrates that steady progress is being made with implementation. It is my intention to bring together a range of individuals and interests in the near future to assess progress to date and to address how we might give added impetus to our work on improving diet.

  This is a complex area but is one which we must handle effectively if we are to bring about sustainable improvement in the health of the Scottish people. Scotland’s diet will not be improved overnight, not least because of the population’s strong cultural attachment to unhealthy dietary behaviours. A number of sources are being utilised to track ongoing change in Scots’ eating habits. These include the Scottish Health Survey, the UK National Food Survey, the UK Diet and Nutrition Survey and the Infant Feeding Survey. The work of the Food Standards Agency, which was established on 3 April, will also contribute to the monitoring of change in the Scottish diet.

Public Consultation

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered launching online policy forums similar to those found at  http://www.number-10.gov.uk .

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive website currently hosts three moderated online policy forums on the following topics: Land Reform, Improving Our Schools and Review of Services for People with a Learning Disability.

  These forums can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/views/forums.asp.

  All Scottish Executive consultations are published on the website. We will continue to work to improve and update the Scottish Executive website, including making it easier for people to respond to consultations and getting their views across.

Rail Network

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Minister for Transport and the Environment, in her answer to question S1O-803 on 9 December 1999, did not advise the Parliament of the existence of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority’s Infrastructure Funds or of the budget available over a three year period under the Rail Passenger Transport Scheme and Infrastructure Fund; whether her answers in relation to the Rail Passenger Partnership Schemes apply equally to the Infrastructure Fund, and what the estimated value is of applications currently the subject of consultation between it and the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority with respect to services in, and originating or terminating in, Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Infrastructure Investment Fund has yet to be launched by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority. This is awaiting the outcome of the Rail Regulator’s review of Railtrack’s track access charging regime, expected to report this summer. Consequently no applications have been lodged for support under this scheme. When launched, the scheme will be targeted at infrastructure "pinch points" throughout the GB rail network. The combined budget for the Infrastructure Investment Fund and the Railway Passenger Partnership (RPP) is £105 million for the period 1999-2002. To date, £800,000 of RPP funding has been awarded to Edinburgh Crossrail.

Rail Network

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has compared the proposed Borders railway with the lottery-funded Snowdon railway in Wales and whether it will support an application for lottery funding for the Borders railway.

Sarah Boyack: No comparison between the proposed Borders railway and the lottery-funded Snowdon Railway has been undertaken.

  A working party charged with developing proposals for reinstating the Borders railway, and set up by Scottish Borders Council on 15 February, is to explore funding sources.

Rail Network

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a feasibility study into the viability of a rail loop from Dyce to Dyce airport via the industrial estate, and whether such a study will include consultation with all interested parties.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to conduct a feasibility study into the viability of a rail loop from Dyce to Dyce Airport.

Right to Buy

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many registered social landlords have made representations to it on plans to extend the right to buy and how many have expressed concerns on this issue.

Ms Wendy Alexander: 47 registered social landlords have made representations. The majority are supportive of our plans to introduce a single social tenancy although concerns do exist principally about how the revised right to buy will impact on rural areas, the issue of whether it will be applied retrospectively and the extent to which further exemptions are required. These areas are the subject of ongoing discussions with housing interests.

Right to Buy

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have made representations to it on plans to extend the right to buy and how many have expressed concerns on this issue.

Ms Wendy Alexander: 14 local authorities have made representations. The majority are supportive of our plans to introduce a single social tenancy although concerns do exist principally about how the revised right to buy will impact on rural areas, the issue of whether it will be applied retrospectively and the extent to which further exemptions are required. These areas are the subject of ongoing discussions with housing interests.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Midlothian Council provided details of a badger survey in details provided for its consideration of the overall A701 proposals and whether there is any requirement on the council to carry out such a survey in the future.

Sarah Boyack: The Environmental Statement which was submitted with the Notice of Intention to Develop (NID) contained details of the first phase of a habitat survey. The statement by Midlothian Council which accompanied the NID acknowledged that additional surveys were required on a range of issues, including badgers. These are for the council to pursue.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4879 by Sarah Boyack on 27 March 2000, (a) when transport consultants SIAS were instructed to carry out the study on road widening, (b) what are the terms of reference of the study, (c) what is the cost of the study and (d) when it intends to publish the study.

Sarah Boyack: The study referred to in my earlier answer (S1W-4879) was commissioned in 1998 and assesses the benefits that would accrue from the implementation of either hard shoulders or a third lane between Baberton and Lothianburn.

  The cost of the study was £8,171.31 including VAT.

  Given that the primary function of the study was to inform and guide the ongoing maintenance strategy on the city bypass, it was not intended that the report would be published in its own right. However I have arranged for a copy of the report to be lodged with SPICe.

Roads

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants are available for local authorities to upgrade unadopted roads to a standard suitable for adoption.

Sarah Boyack: There are no grants available from the Scottish Executive to local authorities to upgrade unadopted residential roads.

Roads

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants are available for those served by unadopted roads to upgrade them to a standard suitable for local authority adoption.

Sarah Boyack: There are no grants available from the Scottish Executive to those served by unadopted roads to upgrade them to a standard suitable for local authority adoption.

Roads

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of upgrading all unadopted roads in Scotland serving communities of 100 people or more to a standard suitable for adoption.

Sarah Boyack: This information is not held centrally.

Roads

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal sanctions are available to local authorities to enforce upgrading of unadopted roads prior to adoption.

Sarah Boyack: Local authorities have powers under section 13 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to require, by notice, that frontagers of a private road make the road up to, and maintain it at, such reasonable standards as may be specified in the notice. However, following upgrading, the local authority need not adopt the road unless requested to do so by a majority of the frontagers.

Roads

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal sanctions are available to individuals served by unadopted roads to enforce contributions from other residents so served in order that such roads can be upgraded to a standard suitable for adoption.

Sarah Boyack: There are no legal sanctions available to individuals to enforce contributions from other residents.

  However, where a roads authority has served a notice under section 13 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 requiring the frontagers to a private road to make the road up to, and maintain it at, a suitable standard, the notice must specify a scheme whereby the cost is to be apportioned amongst the frontagers. If, following the serving of such a notice, the requisite number of frontagers so agree, the works may be fulfilled on their behalf by the local authority, who shall then recover the costs from the frontagers.

  There is provision for a person upon whom such a notice is served to appeal by summary application to the sheriff within 28 days. The sheriff's decision on the matter shall be final.

Rural Affairs

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4070 by Ross Finnie on 14 February 2000, when it intends to publish the findings of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute’s extended study on hunting and the rural economy.

Ross Finnie: The MLURI Report will be published as soon as practicable after it is received.

Telecommunications

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-620 by Sarah Boyack on 14 September 1999, when it expects to bring forward legislation concerning the siting and erection of telecommunication masts and whether this legislation will stop such masts below 15 meters being erected without planning permission.

Sarah Boyack: The report of the Transport and the Environment Committee’s inquiry into the proposals to introduce new planning procedures for telecommunications developments was published on 29 March. The report is currently under consideration and the Executive’s response will be announced in due course.

Waste Management

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will announce the outcome of the recent public consultation on the implementation of Article 5 of the Landfill Directive to limit the landfilling of municipal waste.

Sarah Boyack: A consultation paper on limiting the landfill of biodegradable municipal waste as required by the EC Landfill Directive was issued on 17 November 1999. The consultation sought views on the types of mechanism which could be used to ensure that biodegradable municipal waste is diverted away from landfill and therefore the targets in Article 5 of the Landfill Directive be met. Five different options were presented and are discussed in the paper.

  A total of 33 responses were received by the Scottish Executive and copies of these have been placed in the Executive’s library for public inspection. Of the respondents who expressed a preference, 84% favoured the option of system of permits which will allow local authorities to landfill set quantities of biodegradable municipal waste in any given year. This option was supported by the majority of local authorities which responded and by all the respondents from the waste management industry. The Executive has concluded that this is the preferable method for implementing the Directive targets. Legislation will be needed to establish such a system.

  The consultation paper also explained several other issues related to implementation of the Directive’s targets. Views on the possibility of establishing a tradable system for landfill permits were less conclusive. Overall, however, there was a general view that this proposal would be of benefit, although it is clear that further discussion is needed on the details of how the system should be established. The Executive has concluded that there is merit in establishing a system of tradable landfill permits, probably issued free initially to local authorities and allowing trading between local authorities. This should allow authorities more flexibility to take local considerations into account in making decisions on dealing with waste. Trading is also expected to prove more cost-effective and of benefit to the environment, as authorities can achieve economies of scale without necessarily transporting waste over long distances. Available landfill capacity can be used for more local waste where it is available and provides the Best Practicable Environmental Option.

  There was widespread support for Scotland making use of the additional four years allowed for in the Directive to meet the targets, delaying the first deadline to 2010. It is clear that in view of the extent to which we rely on landfill, there is merit in allowing as long as possible to achieve the challenging targets. However, it is vital that work starts now to reduce the amount of waste which is disposed of to landfill and that the extension is not used as an excuse for delaying action. We must begin to change our ways now, without delay.

  The Executive has commissioned research to investigate the costs of implementing the Landfill Directive. The results of this research will also help inform the detailed design of the permit system and how permits should initially be allocated.

  Some concerns were raised about the proposed interpretation of the definition of municipal waste in the consultation paper. However, the proposed interpretation is consistent with the base information for municipal waste produced in the UK in 1995 which is held by EUROSTAT and which will form the basis for the measurement of the Directive’s targets. The Executive will consider this interpretation further in the light of legal advice.

  Further consultation will be undertaken later this year on both the details of the proposed landfill permit system and on other aspects of implementation of the Landfill Directive.

Water

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to reduce the level of lead in domestic water supplies.

Sarah Boyack: The tighter standards for lead prescribed in the EC Drinking Water Directive published in December 1998 are being transposed into Scottish legislation. The existing drinking water quality regulations set a maximum level for lead in drinking water of 50 microgrammes per litre. This level will be reduced to 25 microgrammes per litre in 2003 and then reduced further to 10 microgrammes per litre in 2013.

  Failure to meet the lead standard in domestic water supplies is generally due to the presence of lead plumbing. Plumbosolvency control is already practised at many water treatment works but the water authorities have recently identified additional areas where treatment may help meet the new standards. The authorities should have additional plumbosolvency control measures in place by December 2001.

  The only lead pipes owned by a water authority are lead communication pipes running between the water main in the street and the boundary of a property. The use of lead communication pipes stopped around 1960. Lead communication pipes are being replaced by water authorities as part of their mains rehabilitation programmes. If, despite the actions taken by a water authority, a domestic property fails to meet the new standard after the prescribed date, water authorities will provide consumers and property owners with advice on remedial action that they can take.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer whether consideration has been given to any effects of the construction of the Scottish Parliament on third party buildings in the immediate vicinity of the project, and in particular on the Palace of Holyroodhouse; whether any liability for any collateral damage has been established, and whether any contingency provision for any such damage has been made.

Sir David Steel: It is standard practice for structural engineers involved in major construction projects to consider any effect on surrounding areas. The structural engineers for the Holyrood Project are monitoring areas within a radius of 1 kilometre of the site. The recorded evidence shows that no ground movement is being detected. Third party collateral damage is covered by insurance held by the Design Team, the Construction Manager and individual "trade package" contractors. The onus of establishing liability would rest on any claimant, in accordance with normal legal process.

Parliamentary Accommodation

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer what the total cost is of the refurbishment of the fifth floor in the Parliament Headquarters building and what the reasons are for it.

Sir David Steel: The fifth floor has not been refurbished. The existing space has been reconfigured to create a more functional working environment. This has been achieved by reducing the size of some of the cellular offices to create larger open plan offices.

  In addition to the partition work necessary to achieve this revised layout, the opportunity was also taken to address some health and safety concerns that had arisen. This involved the installation of some additional storage units and the replacement of some older (and non-standard) desks and chairs that were used initially to furnish this area of the building.

  The total cost of this project was £36,000.